Another Bad Day
by Black666Hunter
Summary: Five Marines have been accused of a crime but they know they didn't do it. Now NCIS has to sort out the lies from the truths. And just who is that sneaking around the building vents? Could he have something to do with the Marine sitting outside?


Released from their meeting with the new President and several top brass from the Marine Corps, five Marines in full dress uniform made their way down the busy city streets and into a favourite coffee shop when they were in the area. Receiving a warm welcome from the woman behind the counter, they filed through the coffee shop and sat in their usual spot, squeezing into a booth in the back corner.

'So when are we being shipped back home?' one asked, tidying her dark hair quickly.

'There's flight heading back our way tomorrow from Andrews. It's not going to be a fun ride but it's the best we can get unless you guys want to fly commercial. And you know what that means.' the smaller man at the table replied, eyes hidden behind silver lenses glasses.

'Yeah, we fly on our own dime.' the other man at the table nodded, setting his cover on the table.

'Like most of us can truly afford that option.' the bald woman scoffed, thoughts drifting to her husband, somewhere on the other side of the country.

'I just want to go home and forget any of that actually happened.' the blonde at the table sighed, still shaken by what she'd endured over the last couple months.

They'd been through hell as a team recently, coming so very close to loosing a member of the group but somehow, through either dumb luck or amazing talent, they'd avoided disaster. Most of the team had been wounded during the adventures in France and Book II still felt like he'd let the team down by not being there when things had gone to hell but Scarecrow had eased his concerns when they had a few minutes to catch their breath. Fox and Falcon had taken the worst thrashing of the team, both badly wounded but somehow they'd been thrown into the Shark Pit and done the impossible by getting out alive. Fox still had a nasty scar on her shoulder from a fighter fired tracer round and Falcon had only barely managed to avoid a discharge for injuries sustained in the course of the battle but with support from her friends and a touch of luck, she'd made it through. Scarecrow struggled with what he'd faced, dealing with nightmares and still so very grateful that Fox had come through alive.

Smiling as the waitress set their coffees and snacks on the table, the team relaxed a little and settled into a more comfortable mindset. They didn't have to be so uptight now, this was a time for them to unwind, smile and get back to the way things were before that mess they'd all been dragged into.

'I still can't believe you didn't follow through Shane. You had everything planned out and then you fumbled.'

'Can we not have this discussion again, Emily?'

'No, we're having this discussion again. Come on Scarecrow, what happened?'

'Mother, we are not going there.'

'I'll admit, I'm curious about what happened there, Shane.'

'Not you too, Libby. Are you guys trying to embarrass me here?'

'Chill out Shane, we're just wondering what went wrong.' Emily coaxed, going for her chicken and salad roll, careful not to drip the mayo down her uniform.

'Alright, alright. If it'll get you two gossips off my back, I know what you're both like. I can understand Libby's curiosity but you two, I just know I'm going to regret this.' Shane sighed, gaze flicking from Emily to Mother and back.

'hey, I'm allowed to make sure you're taking care of my lil' Chickadee.' Mother replied, her protective streak only growing since that Bounty Hunt.

'Okay, fine. But this goes no further than this table. Once I've said what needs to be said, this topic is dropped for good. Got it?' Shane nodded, looking around the group slowly and relaxing more as they all nodded.

Sipping his coffee and snacking on hot chips with plenty of sauce, Shane couldn't look Libby in the eye. She understood why it was so hard for him to look at her, she'd forgiven him for what he'd done but still, Mother wasn't going to like what Shane was about to say. None of the team was going to like this but it had to be done to restore the balance of the team.

'I know I'm a good Marine, I've faced enough hell to know that much. But this last crazy side mission was the last straw. It forced me to really evaluate my life and decisions. I realised that I've made more than my share of mistakes in the past and even during this last mission. I've come to some big life decisions, decisions regarding many aspects of my life. I realised that I'll always have a target on my back, I don't think I need to list the reasons, we're all well versed on that particular list. But one of the most important decisions I made was regarding my relationships and romances.' he explained, putting his mug down and dragging his chips closer. 'That's why I decided not to propose to Libby, I couldn't put her in any more danger than she already is just by being my friend. This wasn't an easy choice for me to make but it had to be done.'

'Mother, before you even start on telling Shane off, let me speak.' Libby cut in, warning Mother with a look. 'Shane explained his reasons to me very clearly and I can understand his point of view. Yes, it hurt when he first told me he wasn't going to take our relationship further, it hurt even more when Shane explained that we had to stop seeing each other and refocus of dealing with the assholes that keep causing so much trouble but I've moved on and accepted what must be. It's hard, it hurts but its life. I'm okay Mother, I'm getting on with my life and we're still friends. This isn't going to change the team, I've already been transferred back into the team proper and we're back on the rotation in a week.' she grinned, stealing from Shane's plate and still enjoying her salad.

'I don't know if I'll be up to mission standard in a week Libby, still pretty beaten up.' Emily sighed, gingerly testing her left shoulder where it had taken a particularly heavy hit.

'You'll be fine Emily, you're tough as hell and more than capable of pushing through any pain issues. We're all battered and beaten around, we'll be alright.' Libby chuckled, draining her coffee and signalling for a refill.

Emerging from the coffee shop after several hours, the group paid their tab and headed outside, automatically shifting back into the typical Marine mindset, straightening and adjusting their covers and instantly falling into position behind Shane. Libby and Mother took their usual places, Mother off his right shoulder and Libby to the left. Emily slotted in behind Libby, stepping in just a little so she had a good view through the group and could respond to any threats behind them. Buck took up the spot beside Emily, ready for anything and watching out for the team like always.

Walking down to where they'd parked their hired SUV, they were stopped short by four people carrying guns and displaying badges.

'NCIS, we need to talk.'

'Well, when you ask so nicely.' Shane replied, rolling his eyes behind his glasses. 'Falcon, hand off your weapon. Mother, half step back. Now, I can only assume you're going to introduce yourself Mr NCIS.' he continued, calming his group before turning his group back to the older man blocking their path.

'Special Agent Jethro Gibbs. My team, Special Agents DiNozzo, McGee and David. As I said, we need to talk.'

'I see. Can you tell me what this is regarding?' Shane nodded, falling back into his team and relaxing a little.

'We're investigating the murder of a Marine Captain. Witnesses report that your team were the last people to see him alive.'

'My team? Sir, you must be mistaken.'

'Then come to NCIS headquarters and we'll clear all this mess up.'

'Scarecrow, tell me this ain't happening.' Mother uttered, looking down at him. 'Not again, not after all we've just dealt with.'

'Sorry Mother, our fucked up run ain't over yet. Alright team, looks like we've got another mess. Come on, mount up!' Shane directed, shouldering past DiNozzo and heading for their SUV.

Shane knew the NCIS team were taken aback by his behaviour, he could see it in DiNozzo's eyes as he passed the taller man but Shane had been through too much to ever let anyone intimidate him again.

'Mother, you know what to do. Ladies in back, I'm driving. Falcon…'

'Got it covered Scarecrow.' Emily nodded, switching focus and warning McGee with a look to stay away from Libby.

'Take your hand off my arm.' Mother snarled, turning her steely gaze to David, fingers digging into her arm.

'Mother, handle it. We've got to get to NCIS.' Shane called, climbing up and leaning out the driver's door.

'Working on it Scarecrow, just got a little tagalong.' Mother replied, twisting her arm and yanking sharply to break the grip. 'Right with ya Scarecrow.' she grinned, jogging for the SUV and climbing up.

'See you at NCIS.' Shane nodded, dropping out of sight and peeling into the traffic.

Watching the group drive away, the four NCIS agents weren't quite sure what to say. They'd never faced a group quite like these five Marines, so confident and almost like one mind in five bodies.

'This is going to be a long case if those five are involved.' McGee sighed, quite stunned by their behaviour and close bonds.

'I have never seen a group of soldiers so tightly connected.'

'Ziva, they're not soldiers, they're Marines.' Gibbs corrected, heading for where they'd parked their sedans.

Striding into the conference room and forming up at the far end of the table, the five Marines took their places around Shane and Libby, Mother and Emily on the flanks and Buck in the middle, they presented a united front against the might of NCIS.

'alright Gibbs, you've got us here, gone over our uniforms and confiscated anything that could possibly be a weapon, including five dress swords that you have not given us a receipt for and now you accuse my team of murdering another highly regarded Marine Captain. You had best have some very compelling evidence to back up these pointless accusations. Witness statements are known to be inaccurate, everyone who has ever had anything to do with a criminal investigation knows that.' Shane opened, feeling so naked without his sidearm and sword but so glad Gibbs hadn't demanded his glasses removed.

'We have a lot of enemies Gibbs, many powerful people and organisations that would try anything to see us removed from the grand position we hold. These witnesses you speak of are most likely part of the organisations involved in these plans against us.' Mother added, knowing McGee was staring at her prosthetic.

'I've never known a Marine to believe in conspiracy stories and the like. I demand proof.' Gibbs countered, refusing to believe what he was hearing.

'How's this for proof!' Mother snapped back, grabbing the nearest chair and sitting before removing her prosthetic and putting it on the table. 'We were on a mission to dispose of an organisation within the American government when I was attacked. I lost my leg to those bastards! I could have lost my life on that mission but with Shane's help, I survived.' she continued, letting all four NCIS agents get a good look at the leg on the table before she fastened it back into place and returned to the line.

'Gibbs, we cannot openly speak of the situations that have led us to our understanding of these organisations. If you want all the information, you will have to contact the POTUS for permission to view the files.' Libby added, glancing along the line and calming the situation again.

'The POTUS?' David uttered, looking up at DiNozzo.

'President of the United States.' DiNozzo translated, returning the look.

'Pulling out the big threats are we, Captain?'

'Not at all Gibbs. All five of our careers would be totally destroyed if we so much as breathe a word of what we've been through.' Shane replied, drawing something from his pocket and walking around the table to offer it out to Gibbs.

Reading the document carefully, Gibbs knew he couldn't go tangling with these Marines on a level footing but perhaps he could play to their loyalty. He'd need to get his Director to try for the information but he needed a cause for the call to be made.

'Ziva, go back to the crime scene and search for anything we might have missed. DiNozzo, get those witnesses back in here, I want to speak with them all again. McGee, go help Abby with the videos from the crime scene.'

'On it Boss.' they all nodded, fleeing the room and getting back to work.

'We got off on the wrong foot Captain. Coffee?' Gibbs tried, heading for the coffee pot. 'Have a seat, we'll try this again.'

'Coffee would be good. I take it you know how Marines like coffee.'

'I should, I was in the service for a while.'

'Mother, cool it. I know we're all tired and really just want to go home but for now we're stuck. Everyone relax, we'll get through this.' Libby soothed, guiding the rest of the team to the table and settling.

Handing around coffee mugs and taking a seat, Gibbs looked around at the group arranged around the table. They were in the same line as before, Gunny's on the end, Sergeant in the middle and their senior officers in between. There was such familiarity among them, he could see that but he couldn't quite wrap his mind around what they'd gone through to bring them so close. He'd gone through hell with his team but nothing ever bridged that gap between officer and NCO.

'I know that look, Gibbs, you don't understand us. You don't get how we can thrive without the proper chain of command from Captain to Lieutenant then down to two Gunnery Sergeants and a Sergeant. Back when you were in our position, you'd never dream of being on a first name basis with your senior officers.' Emily smirked, sipping her coffee and relaxing a little more.

'Well, I'll admit that had crossed my mind. I'm also surprised to see a unit with more women to men.'

'You didn't exactly catch us at our best time Gibbs. We're not long back from a mission, only been back in country a month and haven't yet been back to base for a new team. We were due to fly out tomorrow but given this situation, I doubt that'll be happening.' Shane replied, looking around at his team. 'We're all battered and beaten beneath these uniforms, despite how we might look.'

'Yeah, I can remember a few missions like that.'

'Gibbs, I appreciate that you're trying to build a rapport with us but can we get on with this interrogation or whatever the hell this is supposed to be. We're tired, worn out and really just want to go home.' Libby added, tucking a loose strand of hair back behind her ear.

'I'll try not to take too long but we will need you to stay close until the investigation is completed.'

'Oh come on.' Mother groaned, slumping back in her chair. 'Six months deployed, all that chaos and now this. Ralph is expecting me home, he's not going to like this.'

'SNAFU Mother, SNAFU.' Buck offered, glancing at his old friend.

'Story of our lives.' Mother replied, still refusing to as much as look at Gibbs. 'It's always the story of our fuckin' lives.'

'Eighteen this year, isn't it Mother?' Emily asked, turning her attention to the other Gunny in the team.

'Nineteen, three fuckin' months ago. We were supposed to take a driving holiday together, we were gonna camp near the Grand Canyon for a week. Took for-fuckin'-ever to line up our downtime and then Iraq came fuckin' calling.' Mother growled, so frustrated with the constant interruptions to her romance.

'Mother, whenever we get home, I will personally see that you get one month leave to do whatever you so wish with your time.' Shane offered, reaching out to touch her hand. 'Least I can do for you after all you've done for the team.'

'I appreciate that Scarecrow. Hell, a month on the road with Ralph is a close second to a week by the Grand Canyon.'

'Best I can do Mother.'

Still watching the quintet as they drank their coffee and chatted casually, not even phased by the accusation that they were involved with a murder. This was turning out to be more of a social chat than anything else.

'Hey! Back on track here Marines. You five are still POI's in the murder of a Marine Captain.' Gibbs barked, pushing to his feet. 'Now, where were you for the last four days!'

'Alright, I've had about enough out of you Gunnery Sergeant Gibbs!' Shane shot right back, launching to his feet and ripping his glasses off, throwing them onto the table. 'Yeah, I pegged you from the start Gunny! You might not be in the Marines anymore but I know damn well that you know what this little blue ribbon means. That little addition on my Medal of Honour ribbon should be just as obvious to your trained eyes as well Gunny! Look around, all surviving members of my team are to be afforded the highest of respect, we are all Medal of Honour recipients! Now stand down Gunny and try it again!' he roared, locking Gibbs' focus onto him and seeing the faint shock in Gibbs' eyes as he looked at Shane's scars.

'Alright Shane, easy now. Come on, you've made your point. Relax, you've given another Gunny a shock.' Emily soothed, getting up and gently grabbing his shoulders. 'We've all been through a lot of stress, it's only understandable that we're all wound up. Come on, you're tighter than the suspension on Ralph's rig.'

'Emily, I've had so much damn coffee in the last week that I'm not sure I can relax. Little help?'

'We gotcha Shane, just come and sit down. We've got it under control.' Emily nodded, guiding him back to his seat and coaxing him down. 'At least we would, if Gibbs wasn't stonewalling.'

'What do you need Gunny?' Gibbs asked, slowly starting to understand this team.

'I'll stay with Shane, you're the fastest runner.' Buck offered, coming around beside Emily.

'Alright, you know the plan Buck. Gibbs, I need to get back to our SUV to retrieve one of our bags.' Emily briefed, stepping back from Buck and snagging her cover from the table. 'The team will stay and watch Shane, they won't be any trouble Gibbs.'

'This had better not be a trick. Come on, I'll escort you personally.' Gibbs nodded, heading for the door.

Returning with the bag they needed, Emily smirked when she caught the signal from Mother then got busy, hustling to the farthest corner form the door and kneeling. First she unstrapped the roll on the top and flicked it out, digging into the bag with one hand and hooking up a small airpump. Leaving the air mattress to inflate, she unzipped the bag fully and got to work, digging out sheets and a small pillow that she quickly fluffed up. Grabbing out a smaller bag, Emily blindly flicked it to Buck and smiled as he caught it without taking his focus from Shane.

'Where's the nearest head?'

'Just down the hall to your left.'

'Thanks. C'mon Shane, come with me buddy.' Buck uttered, getting Shane up and guiding him from the room.

Trusting in Buck to keep Shane together, Emily unhooked the airpump and returned it to the bag before quickly making up the bed, every fold precise and the bedding perfect. Into the bag again and she pulled out a standard grey blanket, adding that to the bedding and again making a regulation bunk. Digging again, she pulled out a camo blanket embroidered with the Marine Corps logo, tugging that into the bed and making sure everything was perfect before turning down the bed and waiting patiently for the next step. Looking up when the door opened again, she smiled and rocked to her feet, striding over to offer her hand. Accepting the gentle hand, Shane allowed his junior Gunny to lead him to the neatly made bed. Guiding and coaxing, she got him down and settled in the bed, blindly catching the flying glasses from Libby's hand. Pressing the glasses into Shane's hand lightly, Emily lightly stroked his hair and smiled tenderly as he blinked slowly, coming down off the frustrations of a hard day.

'Sleep Scarecrow, we've got the watch. The team is assembled, it's time for you to relax. Shhh, everything is okay now Scarecrow.' she whispered, knowing full well that Shane could see the rest of the team moving into watch positions around the room.

'Stay sharp.' he uttered, pulling the blankets up a little more and closing his eyes.

'We always do Scarecrow. Semper Fi.' Emily nodded, tucking him in firmly before pushing to her feet and moving to take the last watch spot in the room.

Warning Gibbs to be silent with a raised hand, Libby went back to her watch and glanced over towards Shane, smiling softly as he drifted into a peaceful slumber. Maintaining their places for a few minutes more, the team finally broke from their places and wandered over to where Gibbs was standing. Planning something with their hands, Emily nodded and slipped away from the group, returning to stand watch by Shane's bed. Slipping into parade rest, she dropped her chin and composed her features, looking for all the world like she was watching over a fallen Marine. Finally Gibbs was starting to understand this team, everything revolved around Shane and keeping him together through whatever he faced.

'Special Agent Gibbs, there's a lot you don't understand about our team and so much we can't tell you. We have all been damaged by what is going on in the shadows, we have suffered so much in a war that we don't understand. All I ask is that you speak with your Director and ask if he can get in touch with either the POTUS or the Commandant of the Marine Corps and try to get the clearance to learn more about our missions. Heck, SecNav might be helpful in getting you something to help you understand who we are. We are all bound by Presidential Orders to say nothing of what we've endured over the years. This conversation can't go any further until you at least understand a few things about us.' Libby explained, sending Buck and Mother back to their posts. 'Until then, Special Agent Gibbs, we have a duty to fulfil. I will ask that you direct all questions to me until Captain Schofield is back to his best. This team is under my command now. Got that Special Agent?'

'Understood, Lieutenant.' Gibbs replied, understanding that his interview of the team was well and truly over until Schofield was back on his feet and feeling more comfortable.

Relaxing a little more once the door closed again, Libby sighed and tidied up her hair again before starting to pace the room, finding comfort in the familiar rituals as they faced a very odd situation. They'd faced hell before, stood down some terrifying enemies but here, standing up to a murder charge, no one knew what to think. Shane's troubles were just the start, the team was already feeling shaky after their last mission and adding this was only making those feelings worse.

Sleeping in shifts through the night and sharing MRE packs to get them through without straining their resources too much, the team were refreshed and alert the next morning when Gibbs entered the conference room. Shane had certainly brightened and was looking much better, busy making coffee for his team as they bustled about with their morning routine.

'Morning Special Agent Gibbs.' Emily called, slipping in behind him and tossing another small black bag across to their camping kit.

'Well, this is a better reaction than I was expecting.' Gibbs remarked, sipping his coffee and looking around.

'Yesterday was a bad day, today will be better.' Shane shrugged, handing around the mugs and settling at the table, heavy tunic hanging neatly over another seat.

'Did you have any luck with what I suggested?' Libby asked, her back to Gibbs as she finished cleaning up.

'I did. I wasn't told everything but I've learned a few details about Antarctica, Utah and the Bounty Hunt.' Gibbs confirmed, gaze shifting to Mother's leg.

'Then you can understand why we are limited in what we can discuss.' Emily grinned, pulling her hair back into a bun neatly and checking it was perfect before turning to Gibbs.

'Uh, Gibbs I don't suppose there's a medic in the building, is there?' Libby asked, turning to Gibbs as she pressed one hand to her wounded left shoulder.

'I've got an ME that I can help, he's patched up a few of the agents in the building.'

'So long as he'll be here soon. This is a nasty wound that isn't going to heal easily.'

'I'll call him up.' Gibbs nodded, slipping out of the room to place his call. 'Anyone else need medical attention?' he asked, pausing in the doorway and looking over the group.

'We could all probably use a medical professional to check our stitches and other injuries.' Shane replied, watching out for his team.

Making the choice to be as cooperative as possible now that they'd had time to relax and get their heads on straight, Gibbs went along with their request. Left in private, the team pulled out their sleepwear and changed again, used to being half-naked around each other. Hanging their uniforms up neatly and tidying up the room, they relaxed and waited for the medical examiner to arrive.

'So what's the deal with this murder thing?' Mother asked, checking on Libby to make sure she was okay.

'Heck, if it happened any time in the last month, we've got a solid alibi.' Shane shrugged, flicking his PDA onto the table. 'Now shut up about the murder thing, we don't want to get split and interrogated.'

'I wonder how our other companions are going. I know they got their pardon and went back to work but it's weird we ain't heard much from them in the last month.' Emily remarked, confident everyone in the group knew who she was talking about.

'I got a message from them couple weeks ago. They're in Brazil at the moment, hoping to be back in range for the upcoming birthday celebrations.' Shane replied, proving Emily right.

'That's funny, I got a message too but I was informed they were in Moscow but still looking forward to the celebrations.' Mother shrugged, muddying the waters in case anyone was listening.

'Okay, those two are just playing games. I was also contacted but my info states Melbourne as their location and the possibility of them making it back for the celebrations very slim.' Libby sighed, looking around the table.

'Hmm, talk about keeping to the shadows. They told me that they were in Hong Kong and there was no way they'd be able to get away in time. Something about a real big job.' Buck added, toying with his PDA casually.

'Oh yeah, definitely playing games. I was told Prague and in a big hole. They were heading for a job and had a mechanical problem. Gonna take a couple months to repair the damage.' Emily groaned, thoroughly confusing anyone that might be listening to them.

Looking up when the door opened again, the group quickly evaluated the older man that had followed Gibbs into the conference room. He was certainly an improvement over the other NCIS agents, he gave off an aura of calm and compassion and his soft eyes spoke of tender hands and a gentle mind.

'Ducky, meet the five Marines you've been hearing about. Captain Schofield, Lieutenant Gant, Gunnery Sergeant Newman, Gunnery Sergeant Hunter and Sergeant Riley.' Gibbs grinned, indicating each of the battered Marines in turn. 'This is Dr Mallard, ME.'

'Hey Doc, nice to meet ya.' Emily grinned, glad to see Gibbs had pegged the seniority among the Gunny's in the team.

'Good god, what happened to you?' Ducky asked, looking around at the group in disbelief.

'Sorry, that's classified Doc.' Shane replied, true regret in his voice. 'I know we look a mess but all we really need is a quick suture check and a decent medical professional to check how we're healing.'

'That's easy enough. Who am I treating first?'

'That'll be me Doc, I'm bleeding badly here.' Libby replied, getting to her feet and padding down to where he was standing.

'Please, Ducky will be fine, Lieutenant. Just take a seat on the table and I'll have a look.' Ducky nodded, spreading a sterile cover over the table and moving two chairs out of the way.

'Well Ducky, I insist you call me Libby.' she grinned, hopping onto the table and starting to work out of her shirt. 'Gibbs, I appreciate you're trying to do your job but a little privacy please.'

'I'll be right outside the door if you need anything Ducky.' Gibbs nodded, slipping from the room and leaving Ducky to work.

Working out of her shirt and hissing as she moved her shoulder the wrong way, Libby bundled up the stained cloth and dropped it to the table, glancing at the neatly repaired hole in her shoulder. A little stunned by the sizeable wound to her shoulder, Ducky smiled softly and stepped closer, snapping on his gloves and gently investigating the neatly repaired injury. Whoever had first tended this wound had done a marvellous job. Libby wouldn't have much of a scar once she'd healed and obviously still had good use of her left arm. Ready for dealing with living patients, he numbed the area around the wound and deftly cleaned up the dried blood on both sides of her shoulder. Looking away from Ducky's work and pulling her hair out of the way, Libby closed her eyes and thought about how she'd earned this particular wound.

'My dear, you are far too pretty to be a Marine.' he remarked, lifting his gaze to her face, practically unscarred by war.

'Why thank you Ducky. I try to keep my best features undamaged but I'm not always so lucky.' Libby replied, turning her head so Ducky could see the scar on her cheek.

'Hardly a noticeable scar, my dear. There you go, all fixed up.' Ducky smiled, straightening up and smoothing a clean dressing over both suture circles, pushing down his curiosity to avoid putting Libby in a bad position regarding confidentiality and classified missions.

'Thanks Ducky, going to be a while before that one heals up. I do have one other concerning wound that I'd like checked if you wouldn't mind terribly.' Libby continued, shifting and stretching out on her front before brushing her hair off her neck.

'My god. This is a dangerous wound.'

'Believe me, I know Ducky. I owe my life to Gunnery Sergeant Hunter.' Libby sighed, working not to flinch as Ducky checked and cleaned the gash on the rear right of her neck. 'But as before, I can't talk about how it happened.'

'I understand completely Libby. Just relax, this won't take long.'

Lulled into a relaxed state by the gentle melody of Ducky's accent, the team sipped their coffees and let their minds drift, enjoying the downtime they had and relishing their chance to forget about the last few months. Moving up to have their various wounds treated by the kindly Scot, everyone giving the same classified story regarding their varied wounds. They wanted to tell him something that would allow him to better tend their wounds and make certain the wounds were clean. Even though she knew how serious her worst wound was, Emily waited for all her team-mates to be treated before she headed up to sit on the conference table. Hiding her limp through practise and training, she sat on the table and removed her shirt, turning and placing her bare right foot on the table and stretching out her side a little so he could deal with the three bullet wounds in her side.

'It's nice to hear the rolling brogue of a fellow Scot, don't hear many of them in the Corps.' she remarked, smiling softly as Ducky looked up at her in surprise. 'Yeah, I know. Been away from the green grass of home for too many years, my brogue faded when I was just a wee lassie.' she grinned, keeping perfectly still as Ducky re-sutured her side.

'From where did you hail, young Emily?'

'Inverness, up in the highlands. By your accent, I can tell you're from further south.'

'Edinburgh to be exact.'

'Little further north than I was expecting. I thought Glasgow.'

'Close but not quite my dear.'

'Twenty years since I was last in the highlands, I'm allowed to make mistakes. I was only seven when my family moved to Utah. Parents wanted a new start after my brother was killed by a drunk driver.'

'I'm sorry to hear that. Were you close to your brother? If that's not prying too much.'

'He was my twin, we were nigh inseparable growing up. It was only because I was home sick with the flu that I wasn't walking with my brother as he headed home from school. I take comfort in knowing it was quick for him, I did some digging when I was older and discovered that he'd died instantly, my parents couldn't tell me the truth when Andrew was killed. We were five when he died, we only lived two blocks from the school. We knew the way, we were both fiercely independent and were more than capable of managing the walk to and from school.'

'Such a tragedy, no one should lose a brother at such a young age.'

'Thanks Ducky. You all done on my side?' Emily nodded, glancing around at the team and seeing their surprise at her story.

'Everything seems to be healing up nicely here. Any other injuries you want me to check?'

'Actually, yeah. I will warn you however, this one is a mess.' Emily nodded, shifting back into the middle of the table.

Bringing her left foot up onto the table, Emily unlaced her left shoe and worked it off before gingerly peeling her sock off. This revealed several bandages wrapped firmly around her foot, encasing it from toes to ankle. Unwrapping the first four layers and putting them aside, she offered her foot out to Ducky, turning to put the outer edge of her foot uppermost.

'Be extremely gentle Ducky, this wound is still very sore. Hence the shoe four sizes bigger than normal and all this padding.' Emily warned, looking to Libby for strength as the last layers of protection were removed.

'Good grief, this is a mess Emily.' Ducky gasped, staring in shock at the damage done to Emily's foot. She was missing three of her smaller toes as well as a big piece of flesh from the same area and had a deep incision going at least half way into her foot.

'Yep, went and put my foot in it. Classified mission but I did it to save my Lieutenant's life. It was my foot or her head. I'm just glad the Corps is allowing me to stay in my team instead of giving me a medical discharge for this one.' Emily nodded, settling back on the table and closing her eyes.

'Well, whoever started the repair on this did a reasonable job. I am surprised that you are continuing your service with such an injury, it must be difficult to walk on such an injury.'

'It's no picnic Ducky, that's for sure. Hurts like hell and it's a challenge to keep up some days but there's no way in hell I'd ever leave my team. I will recover and be back on duty with the rest of my team as ordered. That's the way it is, we never let the team down, no matter how much it hurts.'

'I would expect nothing less from such dedicated Marines.'

Showing a more cooperative side now that they were refreshed and their wounds had been tended, the team focused on what Gibbs really needed to know.

'So where were you all, this morning between 0430 and 1145 hours?'

'From 0430 until 0825 we were at the hotel under Secret Service protection. 0825 to 0850 we were in transit from the hotel to the White House. 0850 through to 1100 we were in a meeting with the President, Commandant of the Marine Corps and several other high ranking Marine officers. 1100 right up to 1428 when you found us we were in the coffee shop just around the corner from where you located us.' Shane replied, handing over the itinerary for their time in DC.

'You've got all the answers, don't you Captain?'

'Comes with the territory Gibbs. When it comes to reporting missions to people like the President, we have to be able to account for every minute of a mission. Often our ability to remember the smallest details about a situation enable us to save more innocent lives than the average, lesser trained team could manage in the same situation.' Libby nodded, handing over a second itinerary to cover the month since arriving back in the states.

'So you three just follow the lead of your senior officers.'

'We put our trust in our senior officers. Their judgement has kept us safe and together through some very nasty situations, every one of them more than able to slaughter us in one fell swoop. The trust in this team has been built up over years working together in particularly hostile places. We will follow our Captain and Lieutenant to hell and back as many times as they need us to until the job is done.' Mother countered, totally confident in her words and her officers.

Looking at the offered itineraries and thinking about what he'd been told the day previous about these five Marines and their connection with the President, Gibbs sighed and got to his feet, leaving the itineraries on the table. He'd also had Abby run the DNA recovered from the five coffee mugs he'd taken from the briefing room the day before but it was all negative, the five Marines in the briefing room had nothing to do with the murder. Of course, the fact they had all been under Secret Service protection for the last month certainly didn't hurt their alibis.

'My Director is working on organising a flight home for you. In the mean time…'

Everyone jumped when the air-con vent in the corner of the room swung open and two black bags dropped out seconds before a man dressed all in black dropped into the room, pistol and shotgun raised threateningly.

'Knight! Your timing sucks!' Shane called, getting to his feet as Gibbs whipped his pistol out. 'Special Agent Gibbs, calm down.' he continued, moving into position between the men.

'What the hell is going on here?' Gibbs demanded, eyes glued on Knight along the sights of his pistol. 'Captain Schofield, stand down.'

'Yesterday, when you were trying your bullying tactics against the team, we put a plan into motion to get out of here. While Emily distracted you with that run to get the bag, Mother contacted the one man we can trust outside the unit. We were expecting him to arrive before now but he's not always in the right place to be useful.' Libby explained, glaring at Knight until he holstered his weapons and raised his hands.

'Hey, I did the best I could Libby. We were on the other side of the country and the Raven was in for repairs. Woulda been here sooner but Flight Master needed a bit longer than expected to put the bird together again.' Knight shrugged, slipping his mask up onto his head and adjusting his glasses. 'But someone coulda mentioned that you were in NCIS custody. It's no easy feat breaking into a place like this and I really ain't in a hurry to do it again.'

'That's it.' Gibbs growled, shoving Shane to the side with one hand and reaching for his cuffs. 'You're under arrest for breaking into a federal building.'

Refusing to go quietly, Knight moved with Gibbs and started the wrestling match, managing to keep both wrists clear of Gibbs' hands and the cuffs he was still holding. Torn between protecting Knight and wanting to get home, the Marines moved well back and waited, wanting to see how Knight handled the situation before they got involved. They heard the click of the cuffs and a groan from Aloysius but still the battle raged, the pair tumbling and rolling across the floor. Another click and Gibbs sat up, one hand firm on the cuffs securing Knight's wrists behind his back.

'Well, so much for the help.' Aloysius groused, eyes clamped shut since he'd lost his glasses. Finding them in the chaos, Buck took a knee and slid them back into place, ignoring the dark look Gibbs gave him.

'We're already in shit Knight, no point adding to it.' Shane replied, scooping up his phone and flipping it open. 'Just relax, we'll handle it from here.'

'How am I supposed to relax? I'm in federal custody for you guys.' Knight growled, Gibbs hauling him to his feet and shoving him up against the wall. 'So much for friends helping friends.'

'Good afternoon Michael. Is Top Dog available at the moment?' Shane grinned, holding up his hand for quiet. 'No, don't interrupt just for me, he's got plenty of other things to worry about. But if you could ask him to call me back when he has a few minutes, I would be most grateful Michael.'

'Ohh, now that's pulling out the big guns Shane.' Emily uttered, winking at Aloysius.

'Thanks Michael, I appreciate that. I'm reachable at NCIS, he'll know what to do. Love to the family.' Shane nodded, constantly watching Gibbs as he finished his call and skidded his phone across the conference table again. 'Sit tight Aloysius, Top Dog is busy at the moment but as soon as he's got a few minutes, we'll sort this mess out.'

'When Marine loyalty ain't enough, call the Top Dog.' Aloysius chuckled, shoulders drooping as he accepted what Shane was talking about. 'Mother, channel 5. Flight Master is waiting for a sitrep.'

'Got it covered Knight. What do I tell him?'

'Switch to scenario 38, he'll know.'

'Copy that.'

Scooping up the twin duffels that Knight had lugged through the vents, Emily put them with their gear and stood guard, daring Gibbs to try for them. Shaking his head, Gibbs tightened his grip on Knight and forced him from the room, unsure about trusting the Marines in the conference room but one challenge at a time. Knight continued to struggle against him, refusing to go quietly into whatever bad fate awaited him. Waiting for a few minutes to be sure of their peace, Mother walked over to her uniform and pulled out her throat mic and earpiece, slotting them into place quickly.

'Flight Master, this is Mother. Got a copy?'

"Reading you Mother. Sitrep?"

'Knight captured. Switch to scenario 38.'

"Say again."

'Switch to scenario 38. Knight captured.'

"Scenario 38, confirmed. Flight Master out."

'Mother out.'

Digging through Knight's belongings, Emily found his PDA and clicked it on, searching for anything relating to scenario 38. They needed information and they needed it now, they didn't know what scenario 38 was or how they could help Rufus with whatever his mission happened to be. Then she found it and had to choke down a laugh before she gave away the plan. Calling the team to her, she detailed the plan with the gestures they'd worked out among themselves, telling the story and passing on everything she'd learned about scenario 38 from Knight's PDA. Even if anyone could see their hands flying, no one outside the team could translate except for Knight and Rufus but neither of them would speak up, they valued the friendships built far too much.

Occupying their time with a few friendly arm wrestling matches and ensuring their gear was in pristine condition, the team waited to hear what was going to happen next. They weren't leaving without Aloysius or Rufus but there had been no sign of either for hours. They all looked up when the door opened, hostile looks on their faces as DiNozzo entered, leading another Marine into the room, this one wearing utilities instead of his formals. DiNozzo didn't stay for long, thoroughly intimidated by the snarling Marines sitting around the table. As soon as the door closed, the newest arrival into the group lifted his gaze and grinned, instantly recognisable by the team.

'Now that's what I'm talking about Rufus. Nicely done buddy.' Emily praised, taking him in as he tossed his cover onto the table.

'Thanks Emily. I wasn't sure I'd be able to pull this look off after so long.' Rufus chuckled, looking around the team slowly. 'Is it true? Captain Knight was taken prisoner?'

'Yeah, sorry about that Rufus. Arrested for breaking into a federal building.' Shane nodded, amazed by the change in Rufus. He wasn't a shy pilot anymore, he'd grown into a courageous Bounty Hunter, ready to face any challenge. 'I'm expecting a call from Top Dog any moment to bust him out again.'

'So what'd you do this time? Must be big if you've got NCIS pissed and need a rescue mission.' Rufus smirked, making a coffee and settling at the table.

'My guess, Brandeis' old group are out causing trouble. If not them exactly than another group with the same orders.' Mother shrugged, careful not to give anything away. 'I gotta say Rufus, you've certainly changed since the last time we met.'

'Thanks Mother. It was decided that I should take a little more of a active role when the situation requires it. I'm still learning the subtleties of the game but I'm getting there. Heck, just look at what I've done so far.' Rufus chuckled, indicating his uniform and the team knew what he meant. When they'd first met, Rufus would never have even tried to get into NCIS like this but now, he was confident and relaxed in the situation.

Twirling his phone off the table and flipping it open in one smooth move, Shane checked the caller ID and smirked, locking gazes with Gibbs as he walked into the room and counted six bodies where there had once been five.

'Good afternoon, Sir. I appreciate you taking the time to personally return my call.'

'Here we go, Top Dog is on the case.' Buck uttered, glancing around at his friends.

'Yes Sir, we're still at NCIS. No Sir, we are being treated as deserved. I actually require assistance regarding Captain Knight. He was arrested by Special Agent Gibbs while attempting to secure our release from NCIS custody. While his timing left something to be desired, Captain Knight was working under instructions passed as per your arrangement with him.'

'Won't be long now.' Libby promised, seeing the slight concern still held in Rufus' gaze. Although he hid it well, those who knew him best could tell he was worried for Aloysius.

'He came through the air-con vent Sir. I am not certain of his access point, he was unable to tell us anything before he was arrested. No Sir, I do not believe he has been given the chance to explain his situation to the NCIS agents. Given the scenario, I doubt he was carrying his pass Sir, we called him off a job.'

'Eh, close enough.' Rufus shrugged, looking at his grease stained hands.

'Of course Sir, I will inform the team of your instructions. Thank you for your assistance. We'll be here Sir, we're not leaving until Aloysius is freed and cleared of all charges and his gear has all been returned to him. Rufus is already here, he slipped in later. Thank you again Top Dog.' Shane nodded, still smirking at Gibbs as he snapped his phone closed and approached Gibbs. 'You'd best be running up to MTAC Gibbs, Top Dog is about to call your Director and give him a right reaming about what's going on. You're on his shit list too, this mess could have been so easily avoided by NCIS but you refused to listen to the warnings.' he continued, smirk only growing when Gibbs' phone rang. Glaring at Shane for a moment, Gibbs turned and left the room before answering his phone.

Cracking up laughing, the group refilled their coffee mugs and sat around the table, talking with their hands so no one could eavesdrop on what was being said. It didn't matter if they were being recorded, no one would have a hope of translating their words. Shane let the conversation stray into all sorts of weird places before rapping his knuckles against the tabletop to bring attention to him and spelling out what the President had requested of them. Nodding their understanding, the Marines stood and organised their uniforms, shedding the dirty PT gear and changing back into their dress blues. Catching a signal from Buck, Rufus stood and moved over to the other bag in the corner, crouching and digging out five medal cases. Checking the names on each case, Rufus handed them around to his friends and helped them get cleaned up, wondering what the President would say when he turned up among the Marines in a Marine uniform.

Turning to look when the door swung open again, all six smirked as Gibbs looked around, clearly unhappy about what was going on. Choosing to hold his tongue, the retired Marine just motioned for the group to follow him out of the briefing room. Gathering up all their vital gear and not really caring about the rest, the team filed out and followed Gibbs around and up the stairs then into MTAC. Ignoring the dark looks sent at them from the other personnel in the room, the group organised their places and waited for whatever was about to happen. Gathering around Rufus, the team put on a united front, Emily and Mother flanking the taller pilot, Libby and Shane in front and slightly more centred towards Rufus and Buck standing front and centre. Standing tall and united, the group were ready to face whatever came and would continue to fight until Aloysius was returned to their ranks.

Watching the screen as it changed from the NCIS logo to the Presidential Seal, the serving Marines accepted their headsets and slipped them into place before snapping to attention, Rufus still taking refuge in the middle of the group. Seal disappearing from sight, everyone in the room was silent as they looked at the President, everyone frozen in place.

'Director Vance, this is the second time I have had to contact NCIS regarding this particular team of Marines and their associates. First I have to deal with NCIS wanting access to highly classified and very sensitive material and now I hear that your agents have been strong arming a true team of heroes. This cannot stand.'

'I understand Mr President.' Vance replied, glancing at Gibbs and promising with his gaze that this shit would roll downhill.

'I will finish this conversation with you after this matter has been dealt with Director.' the President warned, gaze shifting to the waiting Marines. 'Captain Schofield, did you have anything to do with this murder currently being investigated by Special Agent Gibbs and his team? Answer me truthfully now.'

'No Sir, my team had nothing to do with this murder. The time of interest is between 0430 and 1145 Sir.'

'Special Agent Gibbs, during the time specified all five members of Captain Schofield's team were under Secret Service protection or with me at the White House. Find your suspect elsewhere.'

'Yes, Mr President. We only asked for Captain Schofield and his team to come in as people of interest.'

'Lieutenant Gant, how long have you been in NCIS custody?'

'36 hours Sir, we slept in shifts in the conference room last night. We've had nothing to eat but MRE's and mostly coffee available to drink. The door is constantly guarded and we actually had to ask to use the head. Rufus has only been with us for about 40 minutes, he walked right through the front door to get to us, he was in support outside the building.'

'Clearly you saw them as more than just people of interest Special Agent Gibbs. The description given by Lieutenant Gant sounds more like you were treating them as suspects.'

'The story they gave me sounded suspicious, Sir. I know how easily documents can be faked, I wanted my forensic scientist to examine several documents this team had but I could not get them long enough to get them to Abby.'

'Mr President, we were never asked to hand over the documents for testing. The DNA tests completed were a ploy as well. Special Agent Gibbs offered us coffee as soon as he got us into the conference room then took the mugs once we'd had the coffee offered in good faith. We put our faith in Semper Fi, believing that a retired Gunny would not take advantage of the rarely given trust.' Mother countered, confident she would not get into trouble for speaking out of turn.

I can understand your frustrations Gunnery Sergeant Newman, I am honestly surprised that a former Marine would even consider such underhanded tactics against such highly distinguished Marines. I can clearly see that you all made Special Agent Gibbs aware of just how highly regarded you all are.'

'We did Mr President, Captain Schofield made that quite clear.' Mother confirmed, glancing over at Gibbs and feeling quite pleased with the way he was squirming under the stern words of the President.

'very well, I will deal with that as well once I have seen you all safely on your way home.' the President nodded, writing something down off screen. 'Now, onto the matter of Captain Knight's imprisonment.'

'Mr President, Special Agent Gibbs apprehended a man that had broken into the NCIS building and made his way through the air conditioning vents to appear, fully armed, in the conference room.' Vance offered, stepping forward a little.

'Captain Schofield, did you call for Captain Knight's assistance.'

'Not me personally Sir, I was struggling with one of my slumps at the time. Gunnery Sergeant Hunter made the decision to contact Captain Knight and arrange a rescue mission. Gunnery Sergeant Newman made the actual call, Hunter was busy trying to assist with my mood slump.'

'Is this true Gunnery Sergeants?'

'Yes, Mr President. While I was assisting Captain Schofield, I signalled for Gunnery Sergeant Newman to contact Captain Knight with the alert rescue signal.' Emily replied, Medal of Honour sparking at her throat.

'And where is Captain Knight at the moment?'

'After a thorough search of his person and the confiscation of all his equipment and weaponry, he was placed in interrogation under heavy guard until transport can be arranged to transfer him to a secure FBI prison. All his equipment and weaponry are in our evidence locker, tagged as evidence for the FBI.' Vance replied, once again warning Gibbs to stay quiet.

'Director, I suggest you go and get Captain Knight and all his equipment then escort him back here so he can check his belongings are in good order right in front of my eyes. Did you confiscate anything from these Marines?'

'As per protocol, we asked that they hand over all weapons before entering the building.'

'Weapons that we never received a receipt for. Five dress swords and five Desert Eagle pistols, all confiscated.' Buck added, figuring that the President couldn't see their empty holsters.

'You'd best go retrieve those confiscated weapons as well Director.'

'Yes, Mr President.' Vance nodded, warning Gibbs one last time before striding from the room.

Relaxing at the faint nod from the President, the team broke ranks and slouched a little, knowing they were pretty much untouchable with the President watching over them.

'I wasn't expecting to see any sign of you for quite some time Lieutenant McKenzie.' he remarked, watching Rufus stretch contentedly for a moment. 'I thought you were planning on leaving the country.'

'We did, Sir. We've been fairly busy since you granted our pardons but we had some business in LA that couldn't be avoided. Unfortunately the Raven was damaged in action, we were held up by the repairs. Hence this chaos around these parts, we were late for the pickup.' Rufus replied, adjusting his headset quickly and glancing over his shoulder at the Marines.

'You seem different to the last time I saw you, more confident in your own abilities.'

'Yes Sir. Captain Knight has been teaching me a few new skills when we have the chance. I'm not just the pilot anymore, I'm learning how to be a strong Bounty Hunter in my own right. We're still a team but now I'm more capable of backing him up in a fight. I've still got a lot to learn but I'm getting better every day.'

'You must be if you were included in this rescue mission. Well done Rufus, you should be proud.'

'Thank you Sir. This was a fairly easy one, nice and gentle to start my practical experiences in the field. It feels good to not just be a pilot anymore, I like being able to do more to help Aloysius. I'll always be a pilot first but now I'm discovering abilities I never dreamed of enjoying. But our decision stands, we're not coming back.'

'I wasn't even thinking of asking Rufus, you're clearly happy out there flying free. A roving spirit with no flag to call your own and a desire to constantly expand your knowledge, you'd never be happy back where you were. Besides, you can do more for the protection of these special Marines while you fly so free.'

'I try Sir, it's not easy keeping up with Scarecrow and company but we manage it somehow. Stuffed if I know how we do it sometimes. The big mission was one hell of a challenge but we got there in the end.'

'Heh, I knew from the first time you dragged us outta that chaos that you'd be the one to keep saving our combined asses Rufus.' Emily called, running through an imagined rifle drill with Mother while they waited.

Turning to look when the door opened again, the Marine team were in shock when they saw Aloysius' condition. He was an absolute mess, covered in blood and bruises. His hands were still cuffed behind his back, his clothes were torn and his glasses had nasty cracks down both lenses. Staggering for a moment, he swayed and stumbled forward, grunting when he landed in Rufus' arms.

'Boss, what happened?' he asked, guiding him into the nearest chair.

'Mr President, I really must protest. Captain Knight did not look like this when we last saw him.' Shane called, stunned by the appearance of his friend. 'I expected at most a minor black eye and a few scratches from his tussle with Special Agent Gibbs but this is far beyond what was done while Gibbs was attempting to cuff him.'

'ICG is here. Six bastards got me in interrogation.' Knight uttered, breathing shallow due to at least two busted ribs. 'Get these cuffs off Rufus, they're too tight.'

'Gibbs, get the cuffs off. These things are cutting into his skin way too much.' Rufus insisted, easing Knight forward and allowing Gibbs at the shining bracelets. 'There we go Boss, just relax. Nice and easy, we've got you.' he soothed, gently drawing Knight's hands forward and looking at the bruises on his wrists.

'Director, you had better have an explanation for this.'

'I don't know what happened Mr President. This has never happened before since I took the Director's position at NCIS.'

'Sir, ICG.' Knight managed, lifting his gaze a little more.

'ICG…well now that's a problem. We need to find the men who did this, ASAP. Special Agent Gibbs, I am giving you 24 hours to locate the men that did this to Captain Knight. Do I make myself clear?'

'I'll get my team onto it immediately Mr President. Abby should be able to pull plenty of evidence of the men off Captain Knight's clothes and skin.'

'We're not leaving him alone in anyone's custody again Gibbs. Not even Ducky, as kind and gentle as he might be. This happened on your watch, we won't take that risk again.' Emily warned, crouching in front of Aloysius and looking him over carefully. 'Hang in there Knight, we'll get you patched up.'

'I understand your concern Hunter. I would expect nothing less of such loyal friends. Just realise that you will all be escorted through the building as required.'

'Totally understandable Gibbs.' Shane nodded, digging in Aloysius' gear and finding his small canteen. 'Here we go Aloysius, we'll take care of you.' he soothed, moistening his handkerchief and lightly wiping Aloysius' lips.

'If you'll excuse us Mr President, we've got some assholes to catch.' Libby offered, grabbing Aloysius' bag and slinging it over her shoulder. 'We will keep you informed of our progress Sir.'

'I would expect nothing less Lieutenant Gant.' he replied, the screen flicking back to the Presidential Seal.

'Where first Gibbs?' Buck asked, watching over the team as they organised their gear and prepared to move out.

'Abby's lab, unless Aloysius desperately needs medical attention.'

'I'll hold, gotta catch these bastards.' Aloysius groaned, motioning Rufus closer. 'So long as getting help ain't gonna be a problem.'

'Alright, up you get Boss.' Rufus guided, helping Aloysius' up and supporting him against his side. 'I've got you Boss, just take it easy.'

'Thanks Rufus.'

'Lead the way Gibbs, we've got this covered.' Shane nodded, helping to support Aloysius as they followed Gibbs out of MTAC.

Following Gibbs into the lab and hanging back as he explained the situation to Abby, the team felt as though they were all under the microscope as she looked them over closely. Returning her look, Rufus caught a flicker of recognition in her eyes and had a gut feeling he knew this woman but from where, he couldn't remember. Brushing the thought aside, he focused once more on Aloysius, supporting and protecting as always.

'I want to know everyone that has put a hand on Captain Knight in the last three hours. He was attacked in interrogation by six men. We have 24 hours to figure out who did it before the President gets involved.' Gibbs continued, drawing focus again.

'Whoa, so no pressure. Okay, I'll start with Knight then move onto anyone that touched him.' Abby nodded, looking at the three men standing together. 'I'm going to need all your clothes and equipment.'

Finding a suitable stool, Rufus and Shane eased Aloysius down and stepped back as Abby pulled on a pair of latex gloves and approached Aloysius, watching him closely for problems. One hand immediately went for his glasses but was stopped short by his hand catching her wrist.

'I understand you have a job to do Abby but leave my glasses alone. I have an eye condition, Acute Retinal Dystrophy, have you heard of the condition?' he asked, relaxing his grip so he didn't hurt the young woman.

'No, I'm not familiar with Acute Retinal Dystrophy.'

'It's an eye condition. My eyes are sensitive to natural light, have been all my life. It took months to find the right colour for my eyes, the few other sufferers I know have different requirements. Without my glasses, the lights in this lab will have me rolling in agony on the floor in under ten seconds.' he explained, so used to judging light levels and his reaction times.

'Uh, Boss.' Rufus grinned, holding out a spare pair of glasses. 'Just like you told me, always be prepared for any eventuality.' he shrugged, polishing the lenses quickly and checking they were clean enough to pass.

'Very well done Rufus, nicely played.' Aloysius praised, accepting the clean glasses and turning back to Abby. 'I'll try not to interfere with the spit on my face during the switch.'

'Spit? Where?' Abby asked, walking over to her workbench and grabbing several swabs.

'Left temple, bastard four hocked a loogie.' Aloysius replied, tipping his head so Abby could spot the loogie without flashing him in the eye with her torch. 'Comes with the territory Gibbs. Ever heard of 1st SFOD-D?'

'Yeah, I've heard of it Captain. Certainly explains how you can take such a beating and remember it clearly.'

'Eh, six on one ain't that hard, I've dealt with worse.'

Once Abby had all the swabs of the various spit and blood samples on his face, she lightly grasped the bridge of his glasses and waited for him to lift his replacements in readiness.

'Okay Abby, go for it. I'm ready for this.' he nodded, closing his eyes tight and clutching his spares in both hands. Tipping his head back as Abby started pulling his glasses free, the exchange was smooth and clean, leaving Aloysius' sensitive eyes uncovered for barely three seconds, just within what he could stand in the current light settings.

'Hands first, just to check for DNA under your nails.'

'I wouldn't expect to find anything under my nails but traces of an interrogation room chair. My hands were cuffed behind my back Abby, but you'll definitely find a piece of bastard one in my teeth, bit his arm when he tried to put a choke hold on me while I was busy.'

'Wow, I've never known the biting thing to actually work.' Abby remarked, selecting the tools she needed and plucking a small piece of flesh from between his teeth. 'Nice score.'

'You'll probably want my battle mask too, head butted bastard three and cracked his jaw. There's probably DNA, if not something a little more substantial. Made one heck of a noise when I smacked him and made me bloody dizzy.' Aloysius offered, tipping his head forward and waiting for Abby.

'More than a little substantial. You've got a tooth here, lodged in the lower piece of your mask.'

'That would explain the headache, haven't head butted a guy that hard for a long time.'

Putting the evidence down safely on her workbench, Abby returned to Aloysius' side and started working on his weapon harness, batting his hands aside when he tried to help. Looking around for a moment, Emily spotted the box of latex gloves and yanked a pair out, handing them to Aloysius. Realisation dawning, Aloysius pulled the gloves on and again offered to assist, this time the help was accepted. Releasing the tac-vest clips and running the zipper down, he eased to his feet and released the connectors to his belt, the well abused and repaired vest slipping into Abby's hands. Resting back on the stool, he removed the rest of the kit, handing over four paired holsters and several other equipment pouches. Setting that load down on the table, Abby returned again and reached for his shirt. Understanding that he was covered in all kinds of evidence, Aloysius unbuttoned the carefully maintained combat shirt and turned, sliding the heavy-duty fabric into Abby's waiting hands. While she dealt with his shirt, Aloysius unlaced his boots and tugged them off, holding them out to her the moment she turned around.

'I'd check the right boot first, kicked bastard six in the family jewels. He went about three feet in the air and there was a definite wet patch on his pants afterwards.'

'Oh, ouch. Nice shot Captain.' Ziva praised, hanging back and watching the group.

'When you find the six bastards that attacked me, they'll be a wreck. I might look a little rough around the edges, but those six are a real mess. I did them a lot of damage, I know that much. Where they went once they were done, I have no idea.'

'He's even more deadly that you Ziva.' DiNozzo remarked, wisely out of Ziva's range.

'I live because I am deadly. I learn fast, fight hard and will never say die.'

Standing again, Aloysius shed his pants and handed them over, feeling more than a little vulnerable as he breathed through the pain of his broken ribs and other injuries. Left in just his socks, skivvies and a bloodstained old blue singlet, he still summoned the strength to sit tall, knowing it would hurt less than if he tried to hide his vulnerability.

'Before you worry Abby, the stains on this singlet are old. I've had a rough couple months.'

'There's just one last thing before you can go see Ducky to be patched up.' Abby grinned, holding up her camera.

'Injury photos, expected as much.' Aloysius sighed, easing to his feet and working off his singlet.

'Whoa, you really did take a beating.' Abby commented, starting to photograph the various bruises all over Knight's body.

'Nah, this is a minor beating. I've only got a couple broken ribs and mostly minor injuries, at least I wasn't shot this time.' Aloysius shrugged, flinching when his right shoulder throbbed painfully. 'I don't suppose any of you thought to grab me some spare clothes?'

'Like we were expecting this sort of mess.' Shane replied, trying to avoid notice and losing his own uniform. 'I'm sure we can find you a blanket or something though.'

'Abby, you'll also have to check those two, they were in close contact with Aloysius.' Gibbs warned, drawing her attention to the pair still standing behind Aloysius.

'Ah crap. I shoulda know this was gonna happen.' Shane groaned, wondering how many weird looks he'd get for his battle wounds and scars. 'Let's get this over with.' he sighed, offering his hands out to Abby.

'Look up his sleeves, you should find tape or something similar holding his gloves smooth and tight.' Gibbs added, donning a pair of gloves and coming around behind Shane. 'With your permission Captain Schofield.'

'By all means, I know you understand the respect deserved.' Shane replied, focusing on Abby as she worked the tape loose and peeled off his gloves. 'No offence meant Abby.'

'I recognise the medal Captain, no offence taken.' Abby grinned, bagging up Shane's gloves and handing him a pair of latex gloves so he could handle the rest on his own.

Looking up at Rufus, Abby could almost swear she knew him but she just couldn't figure out how she recognised him. She didn't know many men of his height, it was an unusual feature but she just couldn't place it in her memories. Struggling with the same mental problem, Rufus hooked a stool and sat, allowing Abby to work on his shirt buttons. It hadn't taken long to realise that the gloves on offer weren't going to fit his hands. Undoing the buttons and stepping back, Abby untucked the crisp shirt and stretched up to grasp the collar, Rufus helping her by dropping into a combat stance so she could reach easier. Securing the shirt in another evidence bag, Abby turned back to Rufus and froze. There on his right shoulder, a long hidden secret came to light. No one had ever known about this, not even Aloysius and he'd seen Rufus in so many situations. It wasn't much but it cleared up the mystery for Abby, she instantly recognised the ornately designed and linked A & R on his skin.

'Oh my god, I remember you now. I don't believe it.' Abby cheered, taking his hands. 'I never thought I'd see you again.'

'It's good to see you too Abby. If you can put your excitement aside for just one moment, finish collecting the evidence and then we can celebrate.' Rufus replied, so glad to see his oldest and dearest friend again.

'Right. I need your pants, looks like you've got some blood transfer.'

Staring at the tattoo, Aloysius couldn't believe that his best friend had pulled a fast one on him. All the situations they'd been in, all the times they'd been shirtless around each other and he'd never seen any trace of that tattoo. It's not like it was a subtle one either, the letters covered a good portion of his shoulder and it was solid black, swirling and twisting to cover even more skin.

'How the fuck did I not see that ink before now?' he muttered, shaking his head in wonder at the discovery.

'simple Boss, I didn't want to deal with all the questions I knew would crop up if you ever saw my tat so I went to considerable effort to hide it when I had to show my shoulders.' Rufus replied, glancing over his shoulder at his friends.

'Well, you're gonna deal with those questions now buddy. You've got me curious.' Aloysius continued, grateful that most of the attention was off him now.

Face lit up with joy, Abby bounded into Rufus' arms, wrapping around his torso completely, arms around his shoulders and legs locked tight around his waist. Returning the joyful smile, Rufus held her tight but still carefully so he didn't hurt her or jab any of her spiked accessories into either of them.

'I can only guess that you are going to explain this Abby.' Gibbs remarked, helping Shane out of his stained tunic.

'I've known Rufus for years, we grew up together Gibbs. We lost touch after graduation.' Abby replied, still refusing to relax her grip on the taller man. 'I've missed you so much Rufus.'

'Abby was my best friend all through school, well my only friend through school. I got the tattoo done a week before graduation, my parents just about killed me for doing it.' Rufus added, not really concerned about the weirdness of the situation as he held Abby to his chest so tenderly. 'I've never stopped thinking about you Abby.'

'Come on Abby, we still have to catch the men that attacked Captain Knight. You can catch up with Rufus later.' Gibbs tried, watching the pair embracing warmly.

'I won't leave without warning again Abby, I'll make sure you'll be able to reach me wherever I am. There's work to be done, I can't do anything in this situation but you can.' Rufus agreed, relaxing his grip but Abby wouldn't budge. 'I'll stay right here in your lab, we can catch up while you're working. I swear I won't just leave you again.'

'Alright, but only because I can tell how much you care about Captain Knight.' Abby nodded, sliding down and releasing her grip.

'Not as much as I care about you Abby.' Rufus uttered, kissing her hair softly. 'You'll always be my number one.'

'And you'll always be mine Rufus.' Abby promised, turning and looking at all the evidence she had to go through.

Reading the looks from his friends and the NCIS agents, Rufus knew he was in for a serious Q&A session but right now he just wanted to relax, catch up with Abby and enjoy hearing how her life had been since they'd last touched bases.

'Don't give me that look Boss, I ain't quitting the game. Abby is a cherished friend and always will be but we both knew our lives would take us in different directions. Gibbs, I'm not interested in stealing Abby away from you, this is where she's happiest, I've always known she'd make something special of her life. We're close friends, we've shared a lot in the past and will continue to be the best of friends even though we are pulled in different directions.'

'Keep an eye on our gear Rufus, we'll be okay. Shane and Buck can help me to my appointment with Dr Mallard.' Aloysius nodded, seeing something else in Rufus' eyes but he wasn't sure what it was just yet.

'Will do Boss.' Rufus nodded, hooking the nearest stool and sitting, a contented little grin on his face.

Laughing and sharing such varied stories of their pasts, Abby and Rufus were as close as they'd been the last time they'd seen each other. The intervening years had just faded away into nothing, leaving them free to enjoy their reunion and all that their lives had held during the separation. Rufus was a different man around Abby, abandoning his shy demeanour and opening up to the world as seen through her eyes. Downing caf-pow's and rocking out to her tunes, he'd gone right back to their younger years and taken Abby along for a joyful ride into the past. She'd ordered takeaway and in between running tests on the collected evidence joined Rufus in their celebration.

Looking up when McGee entered the lab, Abby slid off Rufus' back and took the takeaway bags McGee had brought down, handing them both to Rufus and walking over to check on the tests she was running. Putting the food down, Rufus paused the music and turned to McGee, still wearing his happy little grin and keeping an eye on Abby.

'Let me guess, you think I'm a distraction to Abby.' Rufus surmised, recognising the look in McGee's eyes. 'No, there's more to that look than just concern.'

'I'm just making sure Abby is safe.'

'Oh yeah, I know that look. Timothy, I assure you as a gentleman and a retired officer, my intentions with Abby are only the purest. I've known Abby since we were five and six respectively, I've got no bad intentions for dear Abby.'

'Right.' McGee replied, rolling his eyes at Rufus. 'I don't believe you.'

'Tim, Abby is a wonderful woman with a very unique view on life but she's not my type.' Rufus sighed, guiding Rufus through into Abby's office and waiting for the door to close. 'It's got nothing to do with her or her style, she got me into the Goth thing for a while but I had to let it go when I joined the Army.'

'Then what makes her not your type?'

'That's exactly the point Tim, girls might catch your eye but they don't catch mine. I prefer tall, athletic types, ex-military would be a definite plus as far as I'm concerned. You catch my drift now Tim?'

'Yeah, I think I get where you're coming from. You prefer he's to she's.'

'You wanna keep it down McGee? I might not be military anymore but I'd rather not have that blabbed all over the place. My close friends, the Marine team led by Captain Schofield, are unaware of my personal life. Abby's always known my preferences, she used to pick potentials for me just as I could and often did pick hers. Now shut up about what you've learned and leave us be. We're just catching up on all we've missed and making promises to stay in touch.'

'I was just making sure Abby was safe. We don't know you, it's only to be expected.'

'Yeah, I get that Tim. But Abby couldn't be safer than when she's with me, even from the first day we met I was the one she could always rely on. I let her down once, I ain't gonna do it again.'

'Well alright then, I'll leave you two to your party. Just take care of her, she's vital to this team.'

'Relax Tim, I'll make sure Abby's safe. But once I'm gone from this part of the world and back to chasing the bad guys the way I do, I want you to be there for Abby. She's going to need someone with strong shoulders to be her rock when life tears us apart again. I don't want to leave her, I never wanted to leave her the first time but life pulled us in different directions. She's the closest thing to a sister I've ever had and I'll always love her but my place is in the sky, at the helm of my personal fighter and her place is here, safe in her lab.'

'Wouldn't Gibbs be the better choice? He's the most experienced of all of us. A former Marine and a long serving NCIS agent, he's got all the abilities to keep Abby safe in your absence. I'm a geek, I'm not that good with a gun and I'm the junior most agent in the team.'

Shaking his head slowly, Rufus perched on the edge of Abby's desk and grasped McGee's shoulders lightly, squeezing gently until the younger man actually looked up at him again.

'Tim, it's not your abilities as an NCIS agent that I care about. I see beyond credentials and abilities to the man you are inside. You're a good match for Abby, smart enough to keep up with her, gentle enough to treat her with the respect and love she deserves but most of all, you care about her as a person, not just as a co-worker. You might see her pull away a little from Gibbs, he's the big strong ex-military type that always protects her but now that she knows I'm still alive, she'll see me in the way Gibbs treats her. What she needs is someone different, someone who can still love and protect her but without that ex-military personality. You're her equal Tim, you understand how her mind works way better than I ever could and that's saying something. Be good to her, she'll need you all the more when I've gone back to work. Can you do that for me Tim? Can you be there for Abby when she needs a shoulder.'

'I'll take care of her Rufus, you can count on me for that.'

'Thanks Tim, I knew I was right to put my faith in you.' Rufus nodded, glancing over Tim's shoulder to make sure Abby was still busy with her work. 'We'll talk again later Tim, there's still the matter of those six bastards loose in NCIS.'

'Right. Thanks for explaining things Rufus.'

'There's a lot you don't yet understand about the amazing world in Abby's head, Tim. Trust me on that.'

Celebrating the successful end of the two cases, Gibbs and his team were relaxed in their section of the squad room, sharing takeout and chatting with the team that they'd gotten tangled up with. Ziva had kindly given up her chair for Aloysius, his wounds all neatly sutured and dressed as required. The serving Marines had shed their tunics, hanging them neatly on the stair railing as they let their hair down and laughed freely at some of the stories told. Rufus was still relaxed and happy too, settled on the floor with Abby against his side. Everyone could tell that Abby didn't want to say goodbye, her feelings made all the more obvious by the way she'd handcuffed Rufus to McGee's desk. Waving off the concerns of his friends, Rufus hugged Abby with his bound left arm and stole some of Tony's pizza with his right, his extended reach catching the cocky man off guard. Ducky had come up too, dragging over a chair and sitting beside Emily. Smiling as he tapped her wrist, Emily worked her oversized shoe off and presented her injured foot to him, allowing Ducky to change the dressings again and make sure everything was alright.

'You five still looking for a ride home?' Aloysius asked, looking around at his friends old and new.

'We're booked onto a commercial redeye flight Aloysius. We'll be fine.' Shane replied, glasses perched atop his head and proudly showing his signature scars, a sign of how safe and comfortable he felt here.

'Screw that, come fly Raven airways. It's not as comfortable but it's sure as hell faster. We've got a job anyway and it'll be easier for us to jump off from your side of the country.'

'What do you say Rufus? Up for some extra company?' Shane asked, turning his attention to the pilot on the floor.

'Flying with you is always an adventure Captain Schofield. So long as their ain't a lot of cargo, we'll make it work.' Rufus nodded, catching the sorrow in Abby's eyes. 'Sorry little angel, we both knew this was comin'. I'll never be truly gone though, not while you remember. You've got my numbers and my email, I'll still be around. You're a scientist, you're damn good at what you do and you're safe here. I'm a pilot, one of the best and I'm needed out there to bring down bad guys too big or well protected for NCIS to get.' he soothed, brushing a kiss across her forehead.

'I wish you didn't have to go Rufus, I'll miss you so much.'

'I'll miss you too Abby, each and every day. Don't be sad though little one, I'll never be far. Be strong my little angel, this ain't goodbye forever. I'll come back again.'

'Promise? For reals?'

'For reals, pinkie promise forever.' Rufus nodded, the promise easy to make. 'If you ever need me, you know what to do little angel. I'll come running if you call for help, you know I will.'

'I trust you Rufus, I always have.' Abby replied, fingers still locked together. She jumped when Rufus wrapped her up in a proper hug, stunning everyone that he'd picked his cuffs without anyone realising. 'You cheeky giant.'

'Nothin' to it Abby. Now come and give me a proper hug, this ain't you.' Rufus grinned, hoisting Abby to her feet and standing.

Vaulting into Rufus' arms again, Abby held tight around his neck and sighed, fighting back tears as she held tight to her oldest and dearest friend, face hidden between them.

'I'm glad you found your code red Rufus, I'm so happy for you. So long as you're being well cared for, that's all I need to know. But I'm curious about your mystery man.' she uttered, pulling back a little.

'You already know him, kinda. He was there in your lab, submitting to your gentle ministrations and never once complaining as you stripped him of evidence and most of his gear. He accepted you so easily, a true achievement on his part.' Rufus replied, careful not to give anything too much away.

'Captain Knight? He's your code red? Wow, you really did score there Rufus.'

'He's everything I could wish for Abby. But don't you forget about the code red I told you about. He's there for you, just reach out and trust him. I know you probably won't want to but show him that beautiful country girl I know you are. Let him glimpse that sweet young woman I knew, he'll feel so special to see that hidden side of you.'

'I will Rufus, I promise. Just not in front of everyone, I'm not ready for that. I'm not sure about letting him see that softer side, I've never showed anyone here that piece of who I am. I wanted to keep it between us but I trust you Rufus. I'll show him.'

'Good girl Abby.' Rufus praised, relaxing his grip a little and coaxing her to lean back in his arms. Totally comfortable in his arms, Abby huddled back in close, not wanting to let go but she knew she couldn't keep Rufus from his work.

Glancing out the window, Aloysius sighed and eased to his feet, left arm automatically going to his aching ribs. Straightening their uniforms and collecting their tunics, the Marines got organised as well, registering how late it was getting.

'I can't say it's been fun Gunny but it's been yet another wild ride for sure.' Shane offered, extending his hand to Gibbs.

'That's for sure Captain. Thanks for your help bringing down those ICG men.' Gibbs replied, shaking the offered hand warmly.

'Remember what I was telling you Ziva, you'll go a lot further if you can learn to mix up your fighting styles a bit.' Emily advised, having learned a few new tricks from the other woman.

'I will Emily. I hope we can both take away much from our training session.' Ziva agreed, still feeling the effects of their sparring match earlier. 'I know I learned a lot from you as well Mother.'

'Stay sharp Ziva, you're the best fighter on the team. Don't ever let anyone tell you otherwise.' Mother nodded, moving away from Tony to shake Ziva's hand.

Slipping through the new friends saying goodbyes, Abby caught Aloysius' hand and led him around behind the stairs where they could talk in private. Glancing back at Rufus in confusion, Aloysius saw a confirmation signal and nodded, following Abby out of sight.

'Rufus told me that you're his code red and I'm not going to pry into that but you had better take care of him Captain Knight. He's my best, oldest and truest friend and I would like to see him again many times. It's obvious to me how much he cares about you, both on and off the job, I can only hope you treat him with the same respect and honour.'

'Abby, Rufus is my life and I protect him as such. But our job is dangerous, we have no promise of survival. If the worst should happen though, I would gladly sacrifice my life for his if it means he gets to once again taste the happiness he knows when he's with you. He speaks of you often and after today, I'm confident he'll only speak of you more. Rest assured, I'll make sure he gets more chances to see you, work and security permitting. We are hunted men, as you noticed with those ICG men.'

'All I need to really know is that you're looking after him. I've been so worried for him since we were parted.'

'Rufus is safe with me, I've been looking out for him for many years. He was bullied endlessly in the Army, I was the only one to protect him then and I still protect him every day. I am the one taking most of the risks, Rufus is still learning how to be a for reals Bounty Hunter. It will be many years, if it ever happens, before Rufus is ready to take the lead on a job.'

'Thank you Aloysius, for keeping him safe and allowing us a chance to reconnect. Be safe, I look forward to getting to know you better.' Abby nodded, gently hugging the battered man.

'Thank you Abby, for allowing me to glimpse a side of Rufus I've never seen before. I will always treasure the small look I had into his life with you.'

'Come on Boss, we gotta go if we're going to clear the area before we lose the darkness.' Rufus called, waiting with the Marine team.

'Be right there buddy.' Aloysius replied, smiling softly at Abby. 'Keep an eye on the horizon Abby, you never know when we'll be back this way.'

'I will Aloysius. Take care of Rufus. I'm a forensic scientist and know how to commit the perfect murder.'

'Point taken Abby, point very well taken.'

Appearing to protect Aloysius and Rufus in their midst, the Marine team gathered around their old friends and headed for the lifts, everyone glancing back for one last look at their new friends. Rejoining the NCIS team, Abby sidled up beside McGee and he hugged her close, earning a soft smile and a slight nod from Rufus as they walked away. Waving goodbye and shedding a few silent tears, the two teams separated, the larger group stepping into the elevator and disappearing from sight.


End file.
